Do I have schizophrenia?

Sounds more like what I experienced for a brief stint a few years back. You tend to keep to yourself, your mind races like all fuck, and you think about everything under the sun to an obsessive-compulsive level. Sounds to me like classic 'generalized anxiety disorder' honestly. I had it BAD (kinda like how you describe it now) for about 2 months. I felt like my legs were gonna give out from under me at times because I just didn't want to go.

If you had schizophrenia, you'd be disabled to the point where you couldn't function correctly at times (most of the time). If you truly feel as though you have schizophrenia, ask your doctor to refer you to someone who can do brain scans on you, because schizophrenia has physical causes and can be detected by monitoring brain activites.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by surasshu

Also, panic attacks? Do you mean you're panicking, or are you having actual panic attacks? Panic attacks are adrenalin shots, heart-rate shifts, often involve passing out, and can even kill you if no one finds you. They're pretty serious business and if you have one, you are "automatically" sent to a shrink.

Partially true. Basically in a panic attack your body is illiciting it's fight or flight response with no true reason behind it. Might kill you if you have a dodgy ticker to begin with, but usually don't leave you dead. I've had 'em before pretty bad, I wouldn't say I was gonna die. Worst that happened is I rolled up in a ball and cried. (SHUT UP! NOT FUNNY! ;_; )

There's nowhere I can't reach.

I am studying for my Pathophysiology final, and I had to know stuff about schizophrenia, anxiety, and depression. Here's what my notes have for you.
Schizophrenia
- A 'splitting of the mind' - disconnect between thought and language
- Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV criteria for diagnosis of Schizophrenia
- 2 or more of the following POSITIVE symptoms
---disorganized or incomprehensible speech
---delusions
---hallucinations
---disorganized or catatonic behavior
-1 or more of the following NEGATIVE symptoms
---absence of normal social/interpersonal behaviors
---alogia (meaning 'little speech' - short brief phrases)
---avolition (lack of motivation)
---apathy
---affective flattening (lack of emotions)
---anhedonia (inability to enjoy things)
---decreased pain response
- loss of ability to interpret incoming stimuli (impairs ability to respond to the environment around you)
- Average age on onset: Males 17-25; Females 25-35
- Physical Symptoms: enlarged ventricles of brain, left hemisphere typically smaller/smoother, reduced metabolic activity

Depression
- 5 or more of the following
---Depressed mood
---anhedonia
---feelings of worthlessness/guilt
---decreased concentration
---dyssomnia (excessive sleepiness)
---decreased libido
---change in weight or appetite
---ideas about death or suicide
- family history of depression plays a major role

Anxiety
**Falls into 5 categories**
1 - Panic Disorder
- genetic influence, neurologic symptoms, cardiac, respiratory, psychological
2 - Generalized Anxiety Disorder - prolonged and excessive worry
- muscle tension, autonomic hyperactivity, vigilance and scanning (this is what I tend to believe you're mainly experiencing), inability to concentrate
3 - Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - repeated thoughts and actions
- genetic influence, due to abnormalities in the brain
4 - Social Anxiety Disorder - intense, irrational, persistent fear of being scrutinized or negatively evaluated by others, occurs more in women
5 - Post-traumatic Stress Disorder - anxiety experienced due to trauma, activation of the stress response

PLEASE DO NOT LOOK AT THESE SYMPTOMS AND GO "THAT'S ME". If you SERIOUSLY feel as though these symptoms fit you, TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR! I AM NOT A DOCTOR (yet).

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Yeah, like I said this sounds a LOT like what I had a couple of years ago (almost exactly like). Panic breeds panic though, so next time you feel like you do, just sit somewhere and breathe. Try to clear your mind, take a walk, even have a warm cup of milk (thats what my doctor told me to try anyways, and it worked sometimes). Remember, I had this on and off for like 2-3 months, so calm down, and visit your doctor anyways just to get a check up. Make sure you tell him everything you're experiencing.

BTW, changes in patterns or normal cycles can bring this on. I can guarantee you a lot of this was brought on by your other thread about your relationship. Don't let that get to you man, change is hard, but it'll work out.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?